KNB x Reader
by Woollfie
Summary: Yay! First fic on ff lol series of one-shots brought to you by whatever comes to my mind. Various characters and the romance blooooms! Enjoy :D ReadINs
1. Auction (Kagami)

A/N: Very first one here XD Reviews are welcomed of course (^.^)/ 3

Summary: Your fiance participates in a charity event and gets... well auctioned ^^Kagami x Reader

Beta: Candified Chaos

* * *

You correct the line of your lips, smudging the lipstick around its edges. Your make-up couldn't look too flashy, but it still had to be visible and go well with your dress. Not too extravagant, though elegant enough to make you blend in the crowd during  
the charity party.

Checking out your reflection in the mirror, you smooth out a small crease on your dress; a pair of arms snakes around your waist and you stifle a groan, knowing where this one leads to.

"You look dashing, (Name)" Kagami rests his chin on your shoulder, looking at your reflection. "I think this dress calls for something else other than spending the night with fossils, don't you agree?"

Ignoring his last remark you twist in Kagami's embrace and fix his bowtie. "I don't want to have this conversation again," you snap. "You're dressed up already and it'd be such a shame to let your handsome looks go to waste."

You straighten the lapels of of Kagami's tuxedo and take a step back to admire the view. The getup fits perfectly, defining his broad shoulders making your mouth water. Earlier that evening you managed to neatly comb back his hair and if not for that  
terrible scowl on his face, he'd look devastatingly handsome.

"I have a feeling you'll be extremely popular with the ladies, Taiga. Just smile darling, because that grimace ruins the whole effect." You say with a thoughtful pout.

"For Christ's sake, (Name)!" Kagami groans. "Shouldn't you at least act as if you cared? I'm going to be pushed off like a piece of meat! Do we have to go that far…?"

"And what does this have to do with me?" You ask arching your eyebrow. "This whole thing was your decision. If you didn't want to do this, you just should have said so."

"You know it's not that simple," Kagami says dryly. Your lips purse into a thin line, as he rinks fingers through his locks, ruining all your hard work. "How could I say no if it's for good cause, huh? Besides I thought you would oppose…"

"So what you're saying is, it's okay for me to look like the nation's worst bitch, forbidding you to participate in a charity auction, but it's different when it is you who could end up being a jerk, am I right?"

"But aren't you even a little against it?" Kagami asks hopefully. "Whoever wins gets to go return home with me. And frankly speaking no one knows what might happen."

You shake your head, laughing quietly. Your fiancé's terrible attempts to make you jealous are pathetic. "Considering the age of your possible buyers, except for few bruises from groping, I think you'll be fine. Unless of course you get smacked upside  
your head with a purse for not keeping your hands to yourself." You add as an afterthought.

Kagami can't hide a grimace of distaste caused by such a vivid image appearing before his eyes. You stand on your tiptoes to fix the mess he made of his hair and when you're satisfied with result, you place a chaste kiss on Kagami's cheek.

"C'mon Taiga. We'll be late."

* * *

The party is just how you thought it would be. String quartet playing in the back of the ballroom, waiters roaming around with trays filled with glasses and plenty of people nearing to the ripe age of 70. Besides Kagami and you, there are only few more  
youngsters, mostly celebrities and athletes, whom your fiancé had just agreed to go on a date with whomever pays more. The raised money was to be deposited on the foundation's account which has been helping out with rebuilding schools in minor cities  
which couldn't afford to expand their facilities. What a beautiful reason, yet such an awful way of aiding.

You swiftly grasp two glasses of champagne and hand one to Kagami. "Relax, would you?" You sigh, taking sip from your glass. "You look like you're going to throw up any minute now."

"No shite… how am I supposed to look?!" Kagami barks. He gobbles up the content of his glass. "Everyone's staring at me. This is beyond ridiculous. I'm not a bloody piece of meat…"

"You're freaking out, Taiga. Stop it. No one's staring at you," you assure, but as he not so gently grips your shoulders, twisting you in the direction of elegantly dressed older lady, who smiling brightly, waves at your fiancé, you snort out loud.

"I'm freaking out?!" Kagami hisses into your ear. "It's been like that since we arrived, (Name). And I can tell you one thing. She's kind enough just to stare at me from afar. The others… Just so you know she's the milder case here…"

You link your arm around Kagami's and escort him further into the large ballroom. You stop by the buffet. There's a tray filled with champagne glasses, so you leave your empty ones here. You pour content of two glasses into one, before handing it to Kagami.

"I know it's… stressful," you start cautiously, "but it's just for tonight. I promise I will be your lady in shining armour if anything goes wrong. You can count on me."

"Will you pay for me?"

"No." You shake your head slowly. "I won't pay for something I can have for free. But besides that, I'm your man."

Kagami swings his glass, drinking the champagne in one shot. "Then I can't count on you," he sums up stiffly. "What's wrong with women anyway, huh? It's a slave's market… What happened with your whole feminism and equal rights for everyone?"

"Don't take it personally. It's just for fun."

"And who's having fun?" Kagami snaps. "Not me, obviously."

You reach out your hand to caress his cheek, but the way he glares at you, like a petulant child is a little too much for you to keep a straight face. You sigh. "Just one night, Taiga. You'll be okay."

It's official, Kagami has now been openly cranky and insisted on not speaking with you even after the auction has started. With bemused expression, you watched as yet another man has been presented to a surprisingly vigorous crowd of the older ladies.  
You pondered whether they were that wicked throughout their whole lives, or they turned to the dark side upon the idea of spending the evening with a handsome man, who could easily pass as their son if not grandson.

You wished Kagami 'good luck', when it was his turn to be introduced; he didn't spare you a glance, mumbling angrily under his breath as he walked up on the stage.

The ladies catcall him and seeing fiery blush creeping up your fiancé's neck; you couldn't help, but join them whistling loudly. Kagami's face turned beet-red when the compere introduced him, adding few juicy epithets every now and then.

"This is for a good cause, my ladies!" The compere reminded. "Let's be generous and starts with five hundred dollars!"

The ladies went wild, outshouting one another and soon Kagami's price raised up to 2100 $. From the baffled expression on his face, you could tell he didn't even expect to be valued that much. But you thought differently. Despite looking awkward as hell  
and undoubtedly uncomfortable, Kagami looked ravishingly handsome, dressed in a formal attire; you knew that with those dark eyes and heart-melting smile, he could make any woman swoon in a matter of minutes; probably without even knowing, but nevertheless  
he was capable of doing so.

"Two thousand and four hundred!" The compere calls. "Can we get two thousand and five hundred? Anyone?"

You smirk at Kagami as his face blanches. One of the ladies would get very lucky to have him to herself tonight.

"Going once…! Going twice…! Going—"

"Three thousand!" You hear a female voice calling from the back of the crowd. You twist your neck to check who could be this crazy to offer such an enormous amount for a simple date and then the crowd parts. "I give three thousands for this gentleman."  
A woman in a long grey dress announces. You blink at her, because she definitely is not even close to being 60, hell, you're not even sure if she's a day over 30.

"Three thousands from the lady in grey dress!" The compere acknowledges. "Can I get three thousand and one hundred?" he asks, but to your surprise the room is quiet. The feeling of mild panic starts to build up in your chest. It's impossible, you think,  
someone will buy up the price… it's a must. Kagami looks too relieved by the sudden shift of his fate.

"Three thousand going once…! Three thousand going twice… Three—"

"Three thousand and five hundreds!" You hear yourself call out, before you can think of opening your mouth. You don't even look at Kagami, whose jaw is now nearly on the ground, as you're too busy glaring in the direction of _that_ woman.

"I see that the real deal starts now." The compere chuckles.

"Four hundred." The woman raises her hand, giving you a small nod. You clench your jaw; her smile is rubbing you the wrong way. You won't lose to her and soon after the price for an evening you usually didn't have to pay for, oscillated around 7K and  
you found yourself in a bid, whether to let _that_ womanwin and buy yourself a new handbag, or just go with the flow.

It's unnerving how microphone, deformed voice of the compere echoes in your ears. "Seven thousand going once…! Going twice…! And seven thou—"

"Ten thousands…" You drawl slowly, but as a stern whisper rolls over the crowd, you repeat it louder: "Ten thousands and not a cent more!"

You rub your forehead tiredly, your brain not wrapping around the idea that you've just handed over the equivalent of your monthly income. There goes your handbag…

Everyone around you is clapping, purely bewildered that such a young person is so dedicated to the cause. If only they knew what were you thinking they'd throw you out instead applauding on your wonderful deed. Even when Kagami jumps of the stage and  
scoops you up in a bear-like hug, you can't really feel contented.

"What happened to not wanting to become the nation's worst bitch?" Kagami smirks, as you're back down on your feet. You roll your eyes and swat his hand away; he doesn't let go of your waist.

"Said bitch has just donated ten thousand dollars for the cause," you point out tartly. "Why… why… just why did I do that…? My handbag… my beautiful, new handbag… It's gone… I traded it for you, Taiga. Happy?"

"Very much indeed!" He flashes you one on his heart-melting smiles and it somewhat eases your frustration. "I'll buy you as many handbags you want… I'll buy you whatever you want! Just name it and it's yours." Kagami assures you, but you have a very different  
retribution in your mind.

"Do you honestly believe, I'd overpay for you to get a lame piece of leather?" You ask arching your eyebrow. "You need to try much, much harder to compensate me for what I just did." Your hands trail up Kagami's chest to rest over the lapels of his jacket.  
You smooth the material lightly, before reaching up to trail your fingertips the line of his jaw. Kagami's Adam's apple moves, as he swallows hard. You title your head to the side, seeing his lips tug up in a smirk.

"Do you have anything particular in mind?" He asks huskily.

"I have a thing or two," you muse airily, but Kagami's touch starts to warm your senses up. You raise on the tips of your heels to purr in his ear. "I think you'll enjoy my sense of creativity."

* * *

The apartment you lived in was situated in one of those terribly old buildings, where nothing seemed to work, or it did it was completely not the moment it should have. Air condition in the middle of a snowstorm, windows that wouldn't open to let a little  
air during the heat waves during August, or just like now when the heaters decided to turn themselves on, warming up the old walls with a full blown power.

Whenever Kagami suggested you should finally buy something which was dated tad later than the Constitution itself, you always opposed to this idea. You bought this shabby apartment when the both of you were still poor as a church mouse, and if back then  
someone told you that you can pick the fanciest house ever you'd jump on the bandwagon, feeling ecstatic. Yet now when you had money you simply chose to stay there. Too many memories, you used to say.

However at this this very moment you couldn't care less about your past. With a huff you rolled on your stomach, kicking off the covers; none of this helped much and despite the fact you weren't wearing anything besides your bare skin; the bedroom felt  
like a sauna.

"Don't," you groan in the pillow, when Kagami pulls the covers back up your shoulders. "It's too bloody hot for that. I'm seriously starting to reconsider your offer, Taiga. Let's move out and find a place where there's no danger of being boiled alive  
in your sleep."

Kagami chuckles. "I don't really want to say this—"

"Then don't."

"— but I told you so." He finishes pointedly. You are too tired to move from the pillows, so you just glance at him; he looks too damn happy for such a late hour.

"You said it already."

"Really? When? I don't remember" Kagami frowns. It's no wonder he can't recall any of this, even if it happened just a few hour earlier; you were trying to insert the key to the lock and he was doing his best to distract you, trailing a path of kisses  
up your neckline. You accidentally poked the sharp object into your hand; the pain couldn't let you forget.

"Anyway, let's go to the real estate's in the morning," you say, smashing your pillow for readjustment. "I don't have patience for this hellhole anymore. I swear whenever I lift my finger something falls apart…"

Your body is too tired to do anything, but sleeping, however your mind seems to have a problem; you still can't get over you wasted so much money… If only you wouldn't get yourself so worked up over that damn woman.

You want to sleep and when you close your eyes you feel mattress shifting. "Where are you going?" You ask, as Kagami gets up.

"To open the window. Obviously."

"Good luck with that." You chortle, thinking it won't budge. With the remains of your strength, you swing a pillow; it hits Kagami square in the back. "Put on something for good sakes! I had enough of your bare butt for a month."

"At least I earned my keeping," he points out smugly; his expression drops as you take another pillow. "You and your double standards, (Name)! You can walk around naked and I don't, huh? As you said, it's too damn hot." Kagami smirks; he pushes the window  
up and miraculously it opens. The wind barges in, its cold breath giving you a goosebumps.

"I thought you were joking!" You grumble, pulling the covers up your body from the sudden chill. "It's snowing! Close it down!"

"It's fine. The heaters will burst if this room gets any warmer."

"I couldn't care less about the heaters, Taiga! I need to show up in relatively useable state for work on Monday. My account is missing few zeros… I need to earn it back."

"Speaking of it," Kagami relates, slipping under the covers beside you. "I have something very important to ask you, (Name)."

"Can't it wait? My brain's not functioning properly. It's too late for talking," you mumble into your pillow.

"No. It can't wait." Kagami says, brushing hair from your face, a gesture you were too lazy to make yourself.

"Do I need to hear it?"

"Maybe not, but I'll say it anyway. I think I love you, (Name)."

"Isn't it about damn time, huh?" You sigh, disinterested; your eyelids are heavy and at this moment you feel at peace; the thought of your lost money can't keep you from falling into a slumber anymore.

"Just let me finish." Kagami cuts you off and somehow you get a strange feeling this isn't going to be anything reasonable. You shot one eye open, glaring at your fiancé's shadowed figure. "I know it's just a one time thing, but I think I love you—"

"Just stop it right here!"

"I love you and I want you—"

"I refuse to listen to you!"

"(Name), will you marry me?"

"That's it! You officially went bonkers," you snap and roll to your side just to not look at Kagami's goofy expression. "We're already engaged! It's been a year now, remember?" To make a point you raise your hand, where the engagement ring is.

"Anyway, it was worth a try." Kagami muses; he rests his chin against your shoulder and snakes his arms around your waist. "Maybe because whenever I see you, I fall in love with you all over again?"

You cringe your nose in distaste from his cheesy line. "I'm not listening to you. You're ridiculous, Taiga. One more word and I will demand a refund."

"I don't think you'll be able to," he notes thoughtfully. "You already opened your package. Multiple times."


	2. I won't give up 1 (Aomine)

A/N: Alright! Midorima will be next one, tho this one has two parts ^^;; Okay?

Summary: **Aomine** goes out of the country to play for some major league, leaving his girlfriend behind who happens to be pregnant - and no one knows about it yet. He cheats on her. They break up. And after few years they accidentally meet again - her kid looks oddly similar to Aomine. GOOD ENDING

Beta: Candified Chaos

The airport was packed up with people sending their familiars away, greeting long gone family members and chauffeurs lazily leaning over the barriers, hands holding cardboards covered with messy handwriting. It was late December, which seemed only to intensify the rush around the boarding units, two people fortunately left out of a curious gaze of strangers as they shared a tight hug.

"Try to eat well." A girl with (hair colour) hair uttered in a shaky tone, "And don't forget to get some rest too!"

"Like that ever happened." tall man with dark-blue hair snorted.

The girl gave out a small giggle her mood apparently slightly shifting. "I know but nevertheless…"

The man pulled away, though his hands did not let go of her waist. The way she looked at him as she struggled to put on a brave face made his heart sunk.

"Hey…! I'm not going to war, (Name)." He chided, lifting the girl's chin up and locking his dark eyes on her distressed face, "Don't look like that. You already have a ticket, right?"

(Name) crinkled her nose in embarrassment. "Yeah… February eighteenth."

"Late Valentine's." the man mused, his dirty thoughts obvious; his girlfriend gave him a death glare, "Isn't that the only reason you want to come to see me?"

The (hair colour) girl smacked her tall boyfriend on the shoulder hard enough to make a point but a faint flick of deep affection for him could be easily spotted for a vigilant enough observer.

"The passengers of flight one-zero-zero-eight-seven to Miami are asked to proceed to the boarding gates. I repeat. Passengers to Miami, flight…"

"That's me…" The man sighed, tugging (Name) to his chest once again this time his mind focused on memorising the feeling of how her body wrapped around his. He knew that it wouldn't take long for him to wander to these moments.

The announcement was repeated once again, now with more urgency. His moves slow, the man reluctantly pulled away from the girl and tossed his bag over his shoulder. He didn't want to say any more to her, not confident that his voice wouldn't give away how he felt as he was leaving (Name) behind and diving into completely new world without her.

"Daiki…?" The man felt someone tugging on his sleeve. He turned around, the sight before him lifting his beaten spirit up.

"Good luck!" (Name) flashed him a brilliant smile, one of his favourite. He could swear that that small tug on her lips could heal cancer.

In a swift move the man was by her, the girl already lifted up in a bear-like embrace. They were still, prolonged silence expressing the words they couldn't utter on their own. When they parted none of them looked comforted by the display of affection that would prove itself to be the last one in the upcoming months.

"Promise, you'll come, (Name)."

"I will."

The man's eyes lingered a little longer than necessary on the girl's silent face, before he turned on his heel and without looking back he was gone in a crowd of rushing passengers.

(Name) followed the tall silhouette until the mop of dark-blue hair disappeared from her sight. Her features slowly dropped as she didn't have to keep her emotions at bay anymore. By now no one could tell that just mere moments ago she was smiling so brightly. Curtain of (hair length) covered her face as she propped on a metal bench; she rubbed her forehead tiredly before sliding her hand down to cover her eyes as tears stared to soundlessly fall over her cheeks.

She send away the man whom she held dearest to her heart, who's quirks and traits grew on her enough that not missing some little things about him would be impossible. (Name) felt powerless. She wasn't able to tell him not to go, that would be cruel… but she also couldn't drop everything, her job, studies, her family and simply follow him. Apart for accepting her fate and cry in regret she couldn't do anything.

And so she didn't. Her shoulders slumped as quiet sniffling died out in a loud commotion of the airport.

 _2 years later_

Nothing had changed.

That was the first thought that rushed through Aomine's head as he stepped onto Japanese land first time in years. The late summer sun blinded him, forcing out a wave of stinging pain from the back of his head.

He got a pair of sunglasses from his back and pushed them up his nose, dark shades protecting his eyes from cringing. The flight was long and what he desired the most right now, was a cushy bed and maybe a cup of coffee sometime later. However his grandiose plan was shattered immediately after he entered the airport's building, camera flashes clicking furiously as he halted.

With a growl he scanned the crowd of paparazzi before him, looking for his chauffeur. Catching a faint side of the barriers where most drivers were waiting for their clients, he elbowed his way through a mass of photographers, pushing away recording devices which were digging close to his face; his mind wandered to those moments after the games when a press conferences were held. To think that it was a nuisance was a great understatement. Too bad he only realised that now, when with every step he took that annoying phrase 'no comment' had been leaving his mouth like a mantra.

After he finally bulldozed his way out, he spotted a cardboard with his name. Grabbing onto his chauffeur's shoulder, he hauled the man back, barking for him to move faster as the reporters were already back on his track. The chauffeur kept stumbling over his feet, still in a haze from being so abruptly put off his stroke.

As Aomine got in a car the last bits of sleepiness evaporated from his body, replaced with an utter annoyance. The only thing that was left for him to do now, upon getting to a hotel was to take a shower and restore his caffeine level. The latter proved itself to also be impossible as the coffee served at the hotel's restaurant was worse than that piss they gave him in the US with every breakfast. Aomine was truly bewildered how one could mess up such a simple task like pouring a hot water over grained beans and make the beverage taste like toilet slush. Long after he walked out of the hotel, Aomine could feel disgusting aftertaste on his tongue. The moment he left the subway he was quite sure his taste buds had a heart attack and there was no way to restore it.

Menacing thoughts slid over his brain as he screwed the peak of his cap tighter over his head and mixed with a crowd of passerbys, glasses covering half of his face, making it impossible to recognise him. He had no idea where he was heading but the moment when a plain, yet familiar sign of the coffee shop appear in front of him, it became clear that his body knew better than his mind, leading him to a place where (Name) and he used to hang out.

Long before he became famous, long before the girl disappeared.

With a resigned sigh, Aomine opened the door to be welcomed with a nostalgic smell of freshly grind coffee and that unidentified sense that warmed up his body. He slid of his glasses and looked around. It was still all in white, the thing that only a few guests were always present apparently never changing throughout the years that passed. Aomine's idly thoughts were cut abruptly as something bumped into his leg before timbering down with a soft swoosh. The man glanced down, frown knitting his brows when he realised the source of commotion.

"That's why children like you are called pests." He sighed, looking down at a little, maybe two year old boy, who sat on the floor with his mouth agape, "Didn't your mother tell you it's impolite to bump into strangers like that?"

Aomine kneeled down his gaze fixed on toddler's widening eyes. The man smirked, thinking the kid was pretty funny with his jaw dropped and eyes wide as saucers. Aomine picked the boy up and held him up at the arm's length.

"I assume that someone will pick you up. If not I will leave you at the counter and you'll have to stay here forever." Aomine smirked. The idea of talking like that to a toddler might actually backfire, not really wrapping around his mind.

The boy's lip started quiver before a loud howling filled the coffee shop, all guests' curious gaze following the source.

"Oi! Stop it! Shut up! I won't do this, okay?" Aomine stuttered, surprised the kid was actually crying, "Just be quiet! I'll find your god-forsaken mother!"

But to Aomine's distress, the cries only grew louder.

"Tama-chan!" female voice called, "Good that you're so noisy. I swear that if not for that I'd end up losing you one day."

Aomine was about to snap at the boy's mother but a retort somehow got stuck in his throat. As the (hair colour) woman got closer, Aomine could swear that everything around him slowed down, every little detail sharpening before his eyes.

Although a little thinner, her features stayed the same, now longer (hair colour) hair fell down her shoulders, framing her face like a halo. And that voice. Why didn't he recognise it?

 _I'm sorry, Daiki, but I can't do this anymore._

That was her. (Name) was back.

"I'm sorry for him." woman's voice brought Aomine back to reality. He blinked surprised that the toddler was already in (Name)'s arms, gleefully tugging onto (hair colour) strands of hair; he couldn't pinpoint the moment when she took the kid out of his hold, "He's very… Well, I have a hard time keeping him in one place."

Aomine was silent for a moment, dozens of questions forcing onto his lips but he could manage was a simple:

"You're back."

(Name) tensed at the sound of his voice, almost immediately regaining her composure. She titled her head and frown slightly as Aomine fixed his cap up, to reveal his face.

"I thought you were still in Orlando." She muttered as if to herself.

'Liar!' he wanted to call. The news about him were all over the papers long before he even decided to come back. But he bit on his tongue, feeling that maybe he wasn't really allowed to say any of those.

"So… you're married, eh?" Aomine asked, pushing his hands down his pockets. He couldn't see a ring on her finger but something about the kid she was holding was unsettling.

(Name) took her time to answer, gently unclasping boy's fingers from her hair as he slowly began to tug them harshly. "No. I'm not."

Aomine felt a rush of relief, cooling down his furiously beating heart. "So the devil's spawn—" he raised his chin pointing at the boy, "—you're a babysitter now?"

The woman laughed, no sign of amusement in a dull sound. She huffed lightly before answering. "No. He's mine." she corrected, looking straight into Aomine's eyes, "I'm a single mom."

It felt both strange and surreal for Aomine to hear those words. (Name) was a mother! A single one to be precise. Aomine thought that the duo didn't look alike at all. It anything, with his dark eyes and shortly cropped hair, the boy looked more like… him. Aomine gulped, sudden nausea twisting his stomach. The kid was at most two, so there was a possibility that the night before his flight…

"(Name)… Can I ask you—" Aomine started but the doorbell chimed, revealing an unexpected at least to Aomine guest.

"Sorry I'm late, (Name)!" Kagami Taiga barged inside, a radiant grin plastered to his face. "There were more guests than usual. I guess I'm getting pretty popular. Your company dinner stirred some things up."

"About time! The manager wanted me to inform you, that we'll have more outings so beware!" (Name) taunted but her eyes were sparkling with merriment, "Are you sure you can stay with Tama? It's lunch time after all."

"I wouldn't agree if I couldn't!"

"Yes, you would Taiga."

Aomine popped a vein as he heard Kagami's name leaving (Name)'s lips. Listening to their gleeful chattering had already rubbed him the wrong way but being all lovely was completely different level.

Kagami's cheeks flushed with red as he muttered something incoherently.

"It's how our pesky Tama-chan is." (Name) stated bemused, "You just can't say 'no' to him. Even I don't know what makes him so… well, he didn't get his from me that's sure! And seriously, Taiga, you're just too soft hearted." She shook her head lightly before handing the wiggling toddler over to Kagami.

Aomine watched gloomily as the duo quarrelled, a little, sweet baby-boy completing the image of a picture-perfect family. It made Aomine want to choke… Kagami with his bare hands. He wondered when these two became so cozy and what could he possibly do to break their little fairy tale.

However Aomine's murderous intents were stopped, as upon being in red-head's arms, the toddler smacked Kagami's nose with an open palm, giggling wildly. The move was so unexpected it made Aomine burst into laughter, earning himself attention from the duo. Kagami jumped startled as he finally spotted him. One would think that Aomine was some sort of a ghost.

"Aomine?! What are you doing here?" Kagami bawled, clenching the bridge of his nose with one hand, the other holding onto a grinning toddler.

"Laughing, apparently."

"If you think that's funny, I can make you laugh harder." Kagami narrowed his eyes at the man, ready to pick a fight.

(Name) rolled her eyes and took her son from Kagami, which kind of sobered the man up. After all he couldn't possibly kick Aomine's ass in front of a kid.

"I'm sorry Taiga. I tried to… it's hard to weed that out." (Name) stated apologetically, "I swear I have no idea why he does… this. He's only like that with you."

"That kid has good instincts if you ask me." Aomine chimed in.

(Name) ignored him, her forehead frowning as she scolded the kid, who didn't look apologetic at all, broad smile marking dimples in his chubby cheeks. Even when his mother was dead serious, he simply knew that one way or another she couldn't stay mad forever. Besides, she rarely looked scary when angry.

(Name) sighed heavily in defeat as she yet again lost to a kid.

"… It's just… I have no idea what to do. Sorry Taiga." She put down Tama, who immediately took off, his mood now way better, the incident with Aomine long forgotten.

"It's fine, (Name), really…" Kagami assured as he held a tissue close to his nose; shortly after the blow it started bleeding. "I'll take it from here. Leave before you're late."

"Oh! Right! Thank you once again." (Name) said, resting her hand over Kagami's forearm, a gesture that was not lost to Aomine, and fixed her bag over a shoulder before leaving, "I owe you one!"

"If you had breakfast with me once in a while, that would be nice." Kagami hinted dryly to which (Name) chuckled.

"Alright. I will." she promised and as her (eye colour) eyes slid to Aomine she added coldly, "Have a nice stay, Aomine-san."

Aomine had no doubts that him coming back won't be all sunshine and daisies but (Name) calling him that did actually draw the last, painful line for him. It was all over between them and there was nothing he could do about it.

Once Aomine woke up from his daze, he noticed that Kagami disappeared; the redhead left as Aomine was spacing-out, apparently wanting to avoid his blood pressure rising rapidly. Now all alone, Aomine ordered a coffee and with a paper cup in his hand he leisurely strolled to the table Kagami and that little pest had been, for a lack of better expression, occupying; the boy was at redhead's feet who was too preoccupied with wiping his stained shirt with napkins to notice toddler's efforts of messing his shoe's laces up. A pool of spilled tea already forming beneath the table.

Aomine smirked. "Oi, babysitter!"

"You're still here…" Kagami sighed heavily as Aomine took a seat.

"How long has it been…?" he mused, "Three years? We need to catch up! Talk a little and… all…"

"Just leave, Aomine. I have enough on my plate without your bullshit."

"So I can tell…" Aomine's voice drifted as he saw the toddler taking an aim with a drenched napkin. It landed square on Kagami's face, before dropping onto man's lap with a wet splash.

Aomine snorted out his coffee at the sight. He wiped drops of coffee from his chin and cleared his throat. It was clear that if there was even a slight chance he'd get his answers from Kagami, the pest had to leave.

"Oi, you brat!" Aomine called earning Tama's attention, "You're getting on my nerves. Play with a spoon or something and leave the adults talk."

But to Aomine's demise, the boy started to laugh. Apparently he was no longer scared of him. Thinking for a moment, Aomine reached for a container on the table and took a handful of napkin, before tossing it over Tama's head. The boy began to tear them up in awe.

Kagami's brows rose nearly to his hairline as he watched the scene, bewildered. How come he didn't think of that?

"Why are you babysitting (Name)'s brat?" Aomine asked, leaning back in his chair.

"So that's the reason you're trying to get so comfy?" Kagami's features hardened. "Why do you want to know?"

"Why can't you just tell?"

"Isn't it pretty obvious?"

"I wouldn't ask if it was, now would I?" Aomine rubbed his eyebrow tiredly. "Don't make it harder, Kagami."

"Oh right, because your life if already sooooo tough!"

"You know shit. Accept it! Or I swear to god —!"

"Don't raise your voice, Aomine!" Kagami demanded, "I mean it. Unless you prefer your coffee on your pants."

Aomine frowned feeling irritated. He didn't like how Kagami talked to him but as something stirred underneath the table he realised what the latter meant. He looked down to see curious dark eyes focused on him as at their loud exchange of words, Tama stopped his little game. It made Aomine slightly quizzical; that pest looked so much like him.

"Well, I think I know what you want to ask, Aomine, but seriously I'm not in position to tell you a thing." Kagami informed, as Tama resumed tearing napkins into thin straps, "You have to talk with (Name)."

"Even you, Kagami, with that bird-head of yours should be able to see that (Name) and I are not on exactly good terms." Aomine popped a vein.

"And whose fault is that?!" Kagami's face turn nearly purple in a matter of seconds, the intent of lashing out at Aomine apparent. "Don't drag me into your fight, Aomine. Just talk this through with her like a grown-up you should be."

"Oh, right! You're telling me to grow up?" Aomine questioned incredulously, "Talking about hypocrisy… Fine! Then I'll ask about you instead."

"As if I'd tell you."

"Are you sleeping with (Name)?" Aomine blurted to which Kagami almost chocked on the remains of his tea.

"… what?!" for a long moment he glared at unfazed Aomine, wishing his former colleague would just leave.

"I'll take that as 'no'." Aomine stated now in a better mood, "So you're also not its father." he poked in Tama's direction.

"… no?" Kagami grimaced slightly, "I told you already I don't know anything! Stop bugging me already!"

"Look, I don't like you but I'm also not in your top-ten list." Aomine stated not really minding Kagami's blazing stare, "Help me out here, because apparently, god knows why, (Name) trusts you enough to let you babysit her offspring. You have to know something."

"That's even a better reason not to tell you!"

Aomine rolled his eyes. It proved itself that Kagami was kind of hard to crack but he kept pestering him until the latter nearly burst out. It was amusing how in the end Kagami was beet-red.

"Oh for fuck's sake… this is getting ridiculous." Kagami mumbled angrily, "I take back my words! Don't you dare to even get close to (Name) if you don't want me to kick your sorry ass. Don't as much as think of contacting her!" He threatened; Aomine was truly a pain but for a moment Kagami genuinely believed that maybe bringing the duo back together would be a good idea. It was apparently a laps in his judgement. "No wonder (Name) couldn't stand you anymore and left for Akita. But honestly nowhere would be enough to get away from you, you dipshit…"

Aomine's jaw clenched. He took a sip of a cool coffee, its bitter taste refreshingly sliding over his tongue before soundlessly put the paper cup on the table and without looking up he deadpanned:

"It's quite obvious that you have a thing for (Name)."

Kagami huffed, "Well I do. I'm her friend and I care for her so I don't want her to get tangled with the likes of you anymore!"

"Likes of me?" Aomine cocked an eyebrow.

"(Name) really loved you. I have no idea for what crazy reason… but she did. It took a lot of time to get her back here, so don't expect for me to just sit and watch as you stomp on her again!"

"As if I'd ever do that!"

"Get your head out of your ass, Aomine! Just because you showed up after two fucking years it won't mean everything will magically return to normal." Kagami growled as he bumped his fist against the table, "You should have at least a little decency left… she loved you and you threw it away for a random fuck."

The effect of Kagami's rant was more apparent than Aomine wanted to believe; he watched silently as the other man gathered his things and picked Tama from the floor. The boy looked displeased, holding onto a fistful of what remained from torn napkins. Tama's dark eyes fixed on Aomine, before flashing him a brilliant smile. It was unnerving for Aomine. Not only did he just get a life lesson from Kagami but he was pathetic enough to be mocked by a snot.

Aomine huffed, letting his head slide back; it was merely past 3 pm yet he already wanted get back to bed.

Teenage girls were evil. That was a fact stated and confirmed by no one other but Kuroko Tetsuya himself. To think that there was a time he thought Akashi was scary, now was nearly making him give out a mirthless chuckle, because now he knew that those hormone-driven beasts would make his former captain run for his money.

There were many moments when Kuroko questioned his sanity for staying at the all-girls high school, grading the papers, making-up questions for the exams but especially when he was appointed as the coach for the newly formed basketball team. At that moment something cracked in Kuroko, pushing him as far as to cursing the whole Teiko on the rooftop of his workplace, Akashi included. Why did he even start to play basketball? Damn you, Ogiwara!

Kuroko's deadpan stare turned into a blazing glare as another girl cried out as if being skinned alive, her nail apparently broken. Again.

"Can't we use a softer ball, sensei?"

"How can I reach the basket if it's so hiiiiigh!"

"Do we have to run so much? My hair's gonna be ruined…"

Kuroko took a deep breath. Teenage girls were a menace to the society.

A sudden shift in atmosphere caught Kuroko's attention. His god-forsaken team started squealing, fixing their hair and pulling on their outfits to stretch its creased material. Kuroko really didn't want to look around and find out what caused the commotion among his students. He'd feel much better not knowing. However if it was Kise who yet again showed up unannounced, Kuroko was dead ready to slap the blonde.

In the face.

With a chair.

"Alright girls! Get back to practice!" He called out but he was openly ignored, Kuroko's chin lowered, a strange menacing aura forming around him, "Ten laps around the ground. Now. The last one to finish does extra five." Kuroko slithered and it apparently worked since the girls disappeared in a flash, one lap already over.

Kuroko took a deep breath before turning around, but instead of Kise in the school's backyard he found someone else.

"Aomine-kun. Long time no see."

"You're pretty scary, Tetsu." Aomine chuckled and pushed his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

Kuroko pulled a hoodie over his head before stepping out of the gym. For a moment he watched as withered leaves danced on the pavement.

"What brings you here?"

"Do I need a reason to see my old friend after so long?" Aomine asked smugly.

"I believe so." Kuroko replied, wiping a smirk from Aomine's face. After all, the man was back in Japan for over a month and did not even bother to call him. It was pretty obvious to Kuroko that Aomine had some business with him.

"Are you done for today, Tetsu?"

Kuroko really wanted to say 'no' but seeing his team futile efforts in completing their 4th lap he gave a loud whistle directing girl's attention on himself. He waved for them to get change. After some thought dealing with Aomine was easier than with the impersonation of devil himself.

"Now I am."

Kuroko was so done for today. After hearing out all of Aomine's stories about his oh-so-many games in the US Kuroko started wondering when his old friend became so chatty; he didn't let Kuroko utter a word, his rant coming out rapidly from his mouth like awful diarrhoea.

"— the buzzer went out. They couldn't fix it for a week so they had to replace it. I got an official warning from the League not to come near any referee from now on." Aomine kept talking, "Did I tell you —"

"Aomine-kun?"

The blue-haired man blinked at the sound of Kuroko's bored voice.

"I'm glad you're happy with how things worked out for you in the end but why are you telling me all of this?" 'It's hardly a reason for me to ditch my work', Kuroko added in his mind.

Aomine was lost to his friend's train of thought. "I wanted to catch up with you, Tetsu."

"And you did." The man stated, "You're on your vacation and I work in the hell's pit. Is there anything to add?"

Aomine cackled, "If you sum it up like that it doesn't sound right."

"It was nice seeing you but I believe I have some papers to grade." Kuroko winced at the lone thought of reading girls' pitiful scribble; he pushed back his chair and stood up.

"Actually I wanted to talk with you about something else, Tetsu."

'So there is something more', thought Kuroko and reluctantly sat back.

Aomine kept lacing his fingers nervously, the habit which Kuroko knew far too well for his liking. All his students did the same thing upon finding out they had a pop-up quiz. Kuroko beckoned unto a waitress and ordered another bottle of sake. When the alcohol arrived, he poured it into two glasses and raised his up, before downing it up in one shot. It was somewhat odd that drinking before 5pm didn't faze him anymore.

"So what is it?" Kuroko inquired; he pushed a glass closer to Aomine, "Just say it already. I know I'm not gonna like it anyway…"

"It's kind of hard now that you're actually listening…" Aomine informed dryly, "You probably have some idea, right?"

"You're not doing an exceptional job at hiding it, you know?" Kuroko replied as he took a lazy swing from his glass, "You messed up a big time and now trying to fix it."

"Kind of."

"Just leave her be, Aomine-kun. (Name) suffered enough."

"Tell me something I don't know! Everyone's telling me the same thin —"

"Because it's true." Kuroko cut him off, not a hint of a sarcasm in his voice as he spoke, "You heard that (Name) left for Akita, right?"

Aomine nodded.

"The thing you don't know is she cut off all the contact. It was truly an accomplishment to as much as to track her, not to mention getting her to talk. But well… Satsuki-chan was persistent so after some time we've managed to convince (Name) to come back. And by we I mean everyone." to Aomine's surprise, Kuroko chortled, "Even Murasakibara-kun."

"Why are you telling me this?" Aomine asked, fixing his eyes on the glass before him.

Kuroko ruffled his hair to the point the light-blue strands looked as if he just got out of a bed. 'I'm really not cut out for this', he thought and took a calming breath. "What eight people mended throughout the past years, you're just trying to rip out. Stop it before (Name) and Tama-chan get hurt."

The weight of Kuroko's words was not lost to Aomine; he lazily toyed with the edge of his glass some of its content spilling on his fingers.

"I know I made a mistake." Aomine started, "I fucked up but that's not why I'm here, Tetsu. I… look —! When I saw (Name) the other day after I got back I didn't feel as if time passed. She was the same and so was I. I just can't go back to the way I lived if she's so close. And… if there's a chance… if Tama is… I just can't l give up on her. I won't."

The silence that fell was not a pleasant one. There were moments when Aomine would give a lot to know his friend's thoughts but this was not one of them. It was pretty clear what was on Kuroko's mind.

Idiot till the end.

Finally Kuroko lifted himself up. "Alright. You got me. I'll help you."

Aomine was just a second from thanking Kuroko but as the latter took out his phone and upon dialling a number an awfully familiar voice perked his ears.

"Oi, Tetsu! Don't call Satsuki!" Aomine uttered in a stern whisper, "I haven't called her since I got back! She'll skin me if she knows I'm with you."

Kuroko stared at him dully. "Well, we technically can't do anything without her." He informed before getting out of the restaurant to have a peaceful conversation.

* * *

 _Two years prior, February_

It was the day (Name) would come to see him and Aomine could not help but to feel a little excited. He was a hot-shot now, winning all of the games he played in. Everything went smoothly and now he got to see the face of the girl he loved. Best case scenario ever. But as the passengers from Tokyo flooded the airport instead of (Name)'s familiar figure a pink-hair girl walking towards him, a small bag in one hand, the other holding onto a medium size box.

"Why are you here, Satsuki? Did you come with (Name)?" Aomine asked surprised, not expecting to see his friend.

"I thought that (Name) talked with you." Momoi frowned, "At least that's what she told me when she asked me to give you these."

The girl handed Aomine a box. He opened the lid seeing all of the stuff he gave (Name) neatly stashed inside.

"I didn't think she was serious." He mumbled as if to himself.

Later that evening after being bugged by Momoi for far too long, Aomine finally gave in and told the girl about what probably changed (Name)'s feelings so suddenly.

With just four simple words that sneaked over the other side of the phone line, his relationship was over.

Come back to bed.

At first he thought it won't be that bad without her. He proved himself right after his third victory. For the first time Aomine wasn't so reluctant about going to the after-party. That was his first mistake. He didn't drink much but at the state of euphoria he was in, even a drop of whiskey would make him drunk. Mistake number two. As he saw a long-legged blonde stealing glances at him with a doe-like eyes, he thought: 'Why not?' That was the third and his final mistake.

Aomine hoped that (Name) didn't hear girl's quiet voice. It didn't seem like that, since later when she called, (Name) was bubbly and very talkative, like she always had been, asking him if he had a time to sleep now that he was preoccupied with practises and games. Their conversations were like that for a few weeks until the last Monday. (Name) hadn't been picking up for the whole day, which made Aomine's heart clench; he was worried something happened to her. Finally when she answered her phone, it was mostly he, who talked.

"Daiki?"

"Hmm?"

"I… I'm sorry." A deep sigh filled Aomine's ears, "I'm sorry, Daiki, but I can't do this anymore."

Aomine said everything he could think of just to change the girl's mind, however all of his efforts were futile. He didn't think of it as of a big deal. They quarrelled all the time, it kept them going. So till the moment Momoi showed up, he was certain (Name) would come.

"So did you really do it?" Momoi asked, sprawled across the bed dressed in a robe.

"You're being nosy. Shut up or I'll kick you out." Aomine snapped to which Momoi only laughed.

"It's my room, remember?"

"Whatever…"Aomine rolled his eyes. "(Name) shouldn't give you her ticket."

"She couldn't get a refund. It was too late and she wanted me to give you your stuff back." Momoi explained, "But seriously, did you really do it or (Name)'s just freaking out?"

The girl observed as her friend's shoulders slumped.

"Whoa… you're awful, Dai-chan."

"Shut up, Satsuki!"


	3. I won't give up 2 (Aomine)

Beta: Candified Chaos

* * *

Momoi searched through her purse until she finally emerged from the large sack and handed Aomine a chewing gum. Even if he practically hadn't as much as touched an alcohol, the pink-haired woman told him she could still smell it and that wouldn't be good to show up at (Name)'s apartment like that.

"Alright… I think you're ready to go." Momoi mused, scanning Aomine from head to toe, her eyes stopped for a split second in disapproval, "Maybe we should have gotten you something better to wear after all…"

Aomine glanced down at his coat, black turtle-neck peaking from underneath it. "What's wrong with my clothes? If you think I'd go and change into a suit just because you tell me to, don't bother Satsuki. I won't"

"Suit yourself than." Momoi sighed and handed him a large bouquet of violet tulips, "Just don't forget to give them to her."

"Are these really necessary?" Aomine whined as he shook the mass of detested green; few petals already on the ground, "I don't think (Name) even likes flowers. And I'm not that dense! How could I forget something simple as that?!"

"It's good to not show empty handed when you're trying to apologise, Dai-chan." Momoi chided lightly, her smile not exactly encouraging, "And I've seen you do worst things than that… Just try to be…" the woman paused, "Just… ah! I don't know… Just try not to pick a fight, okay?"

Aomine popped a vein. He had to literally bit on his tongue to not snap at his friend. After all she was only trying to help. He took a calming breath

"I'm not so sure about this anymore." Aomine shifted on his feet, suddenly feeling nervous. His mind went blank. What would he even say to (Name)? That is if she even let him in…

"Don't make me regret helping you!" Momoi threatened but as that didn't seem to faze her friend, she added in a softer manner, "I wouldn't nag you if I didn't care for you, Dai-chan. I love you and I genuinely hope everything works out. (Name)'s a nice girl and she adores Tama-chan. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him. Cheer up, okay?"

Aomine grunted something in response, not really feeling what Momoi tried to express. Anyway there was no point in arguing with her.

Without much hope left, directions from Momoi and ridiculously large bouquet of tulips, Aomine pushed the elevator's button. There was surprisingly no issue when he called (Name) on the intercom, asking her to let him in. Just as that part went pretty smoothly he was all nerves once he rang on the doors. A muffled "I'm coming!" came from the other side.

"Come in." (Name) offered as the doors clicked open. She took a step back to let Aomine in.

He quietly slipped off his shoes and stepped in. The apartment was neat and cozy, just like (Name) liked it. Aomine took a brief moment to look around before realisation kicked him square in the face.

"T-these are for you." Aomine muttered, handing (Name) forgotten flowers; damn you, Satsuki! "You have a nice place…"

"Thank you." the woman replied with a small tug on her lips and took the flowers. She wasn't wearing any make-up, her clothes were more or less consisting of mismatched pieces but at this moment Aomine couldn't think of anything that looked more beautiful than her. Before he knew, he blurted:

"You look great…"

(Name) ignored his statement, looking nonplussed

"I'll put them in the water. Get yourself comfortable."

Once she left, Aomine literally started to freak out. It didn't go at all as he planned. Everything was out of place. It shouldn't be so normal for (Name) to just let him in, to be so calm and composed. That whole situation made him feel uneasy.

Aomine sat in the living room, deep in his thoughts, missing nearly soundless stir behind him, which kept getting closer and closer.

The sound of (Name)'s angry voice drew him out from his musings. She appeared before him and with a death glare she called: "Don't you even dare!" before jumping at him in a high speed. Aomine was literally frozen in place; he knew it all was too good to be true. (Name) must have had some breakdown or something, letting him off so easily. But as the woman passed him, ducking behind the couch he realised it wasn't he she was talking to. Cautiously, he turned around, nearly getting a heart attack. On the wooden floor behind the couch sat Tama beaming with complete lack of worries while (Name)'s eyes were blazing. She was holding something which turned out to be one of Aomine's shoes.

"Sorry about that. I swear he's never done that before." (Name) turned to Aomine, looking embarrassed.

Sliding between the boy and (Name), Aomine's face dropped. He was about to get hit. With his own shoe. By a two year old.

"How did he even get his hands on that?" (Name) mused consternated and tossed the shoe by the doors, "Do you want something to drink?"

"N-no. I'm fine."

"I'll get myself a water. Can you wait a moment?"

Aomine nodded slowly before, still on guard, turned to look back at the boy. Once his mother was gone so did Tama's smiley face, as now he was watching Aomine with his dark eyes. It was creepy how the boy looked like a mini-version of himself, especially now.

"So… I assume you want to talk, right?" (Name) plopped on an armchair.

"Ah… right. Sorry." Aomine stammered, his eyes lingering on the kid a little longer before turning to (Name), "So a son, huh?"

"Yes. Least time I checked he was indeed a boy."

"… oh." Aomine said slowly, the woman's casual demeanour making him dumbfounded. "How old is he, again?"

"Tama will turn two in October."

Aomine nodded in silent acknowledgement.

"Is that all you wanted to ask me?" (Name) arched an eyebrow, "My son's age?"

"Not exactly…"

(Name) sighed, thinking of a good way to express herself. Aomine nearly jumped at the sound of her voice.

"Look… I don't need anything from— I mean, Tama is— you probably know already but I think I should say it clearly. You are Tama's biological father."

All Aomine could manage was to stare bluntly at the wall in front of him, trying to process the news. It made him both sick to the stomach and mature. He had a son. How crazy was that. He was a father. Even bigger: What the fuck…

"Aomine-san? Are you okay. Aomine-san…?"

Aomine flinched, now back to reality.

"It's awkward when you keep calling me like that."

"Then how am I supposed to call you?"

"Like you used to."

The woman gave a mirthless chuckle, "That would make you feel better?"

"Well… it feels weird for you to call me that after all this time." Aomine rubbed his neck awkwardly, his eyes averting (Name)'s gaze, "If you're mad at me you should just scream at me, or punch me instead. Just… (Name) don't act so… indifferent." He forced himself to look at her, gawking her reaction. However her face was like a stony mask, nothing more than freezing cold could be found behind her (eye colour) eyes.

"You'd want me to get angry with you, is that right?" the woman's head titled as Aomine nodded, "That would me you feel better?"

"I wouldn't say —"

"You want me to… how to say it… voice out my frustration? Is that so?" She cut him off, her cool composure gone, "I don't have any. I don't want to punch you, Daiki. I'm far from that."

"Look (Name), I know how you feel but —"

"Have I ever cheated on you…? No… —" She huffed, "scratch that! Have I ever cheated on you, while literally being on the phone? Talking with you?! Making you a complete idiot!"

Aomine clenched his fists as rage started to build up in him, piling up and threatening to burst his heart open any time now.

"Then why didn't you say anything!" He demanded harshly, "You should have said something, literally anything!"

"Like what? That did a lot of good for you for being a slimy bastard?! Would that be enough for you? Would you even apologise?"

"Anything would be better than the cold shoulder you gave me! I had no idea you knew!"

(Name)'s eyes went wide, "I'd have to be both blind and deaf not to know that! I heard everything and if that wasn't enough the next day the internet was full of photos from your little endeavour! You're not even sorry you did it. You just regret being caught!"

At that moment it'd be way better for Aomine to keep his mouth shut but despite that small voice of reason in the back of his head telling him to stop and apologise, something way bigger than that flooded his mind, overwhelming his senses. He had no idea that there were any physical evidence proving his quilt and, finding that out, his rage only grew.

"I'm always the worst, right?! It's all my fault now?!" He exclaimed. "It was you, (Name) who ran away, remember?! Without a notice. You just disappeared. Did you even consider how I felt?!"

"It always comes down to you…" (Name) bit on her lip and shot on her feet, "I suppose it was my fault after all… You have no idea how crazy I was about you, Daiki. To the point —" she took a deep breath as tears started to form in her eyes, "I gave you everything I had and you just tossed it as if nothing happened!"

"Like fuck I did!" Aomine growled and angrily paced towards (Name), "You did the same damn thing to me and don't deny it!"

"I did what was best for me and my kid. If that meant leaving you, then so be it!"

"So now it's your kid?!" The man exclaimed, narrowing his eyes "He's my son too, you know?!"

"Yours?! You have no right to say that!"

"And who's gonna stop me? You?" He asked mockingly but as soon as these words left his mouth, his stomach twisted with a wave of nausea. Aomine went too far and the dumbfounded look on (Name)'s face was a clear proof.

"Where were you when he made his first steps?" (Name) mumbled quietly, "Where were you when Tama was crying the whole night because his fever didn't want to go down? Where were you… first birthday… first ultrasound… where — I was —" she choked on her words, cheeks reddening with frustration, "Where the hell were you all this time? Tama is mine and you have no right so say otherwise."

(Name) ran her fingers through her hair, her eyes closed as she tried to stay calm. Soundlessly, she moved past Aomine and scooped her son up, hugging him close. Despite his usual vigour, Tama let his mother treat him like a life-size teddy bear, not even as much as tugging onto her hair. Aomine was pissed with himself and with Momoi who warned him clearly before sending him off. Now, when everything was over and the air was still filled with a pregnant silence, he had no idea how could he turn such a simple task as apology into something so ugly like the fight he just had with (Name). Despite his regrets his body had a will of his own and completely ignoring the rest of his reasoning Aomine said:

"You can't take him away from me."

(Name) slowly turned around. Without a word, she walked to the door and grabbed a jacket and wrapped it around not so pleased Tama.

"I won't give up on neither of you, (Name)." Aomine stated firmly, "I can't let you just disappear again."

(Name) glanced over her shoulder, her eyes lifeless.

"Go fuck yourself."

When Aomine was left alone in (Name)'s apartment, his thoughts kept playing on repeat in a set of disgusting flashbacks. Every single word that left his mouth was like made of lead. His rage evaporated just as it appeared, without a notice, now replaced with despair. He thought he was going crazy as the ugly scenes flooded his mind. That wasn't his life Aomine had been watching but some stranger's.

Aomine thrusted his clenched fist in a wall. It went through without a problem, leaving a gaping hole. He slowly retreated his hand, glaring at his blood covered fingers. Thinking that nothing had changed was laughable to him. Nothing was the same. Everything's changed. Too bad he only realised it now, when it was too late to turn anything around.

* * *

It was one of the very last warm, autumn evenings and truthfully, the only thing Aomine wanted to do included watching some blood-filled and numbing action movie and afterwards get to bed feeling like shite. However the only thing that could beat sulking alone in the darkness of his own bedroom, was feeling like a waste of space in public. So the mood Aomine was in, sitting in the back garden filled with gleeful and overly chatty people, could be describe with one word - rotten.

Frankly speaking he had no idea how did he end up sitting on a plastic chair that dug into his backside uncomfortably, while involuntarily listening to Kise and Takao's rumbling. A glimmer of hope aroused in Aomine, making him feel that he wasn't the only one in misery, as Midorima joined them. It proved itself to be forlorn hope as the former took out his phone without sparing neither Aomine or the talkative duo a glance.

"Stop sulking, Aomine. You're ruining the mood." Akashi droned; he didn't even bother to look at the other man, focusing on the burning meat before him, "Just because you feel like crap you don't necessarily need to show it."

Aomine twisted in his chair; seeing Akashi in a white apron, flipping burgers on the grill was the only thing which could lift his deflated spirits up.

"I thought you were busy, Akashi. Don't you have better things to do?"

"You didn't strike me as concerned when you kept flooding my voice machine for the past couple of weeks." Akashi countered, wincing at the lone memory; one call a day seems okay, two, three are acceptable but when the number raises to two-digits, it gets annoying.

"What can I say? It's stronger than me." Aomine yawned, stretching out his arms lazily, "You weren't' picking up so I had to call until you answered."

"If not for the heat from the grill, I'd say you made me blush." Akashi deadpanned. The meat began to turn into charcoal, smell of burn sobering him enough to realise their dinner was gone. Without much of thought Akashi reached for a plate and gathered the meat's pitiful remains, before turning to Aomine. "Why can't you be so attentive with (Name)-san? God knows, you and me are not exactly compatible."

"Do you honestly expect me to take you seriously when your dressed like…" he motioned at Akashi's apron; the front of it was covered with cat prints. "… that? What's your problem, anyway? Why are you getting so worked up?"

The silence which followed Aomine's question felt downright creepy; laud rumble of Kise and Takao had been cut short. Aomine was sure it was way past time, they'd feel intimidated by Akashi but little did he know it wasn't because a blunt glare of his former captain everyone went silent.

"I don't have any problems. However your bashing is another thing, Aomine." Akashi quipped, "At least if you open your mouth make it worthwhile. Stop spouting nonsense."

Aomine frowned, genuinely surprised. "I haven't said a thing, since I got here… Maybe for —"

"Exactly."

"Wait. That was pretty relevant!"

"No. Just no."

"But it was! It bothers me."

"It shouldn't…" Takao chimed in, unfazed by Aomine's glare, "It doesn't mean anything. I don't think any woman would have an abortion just because the father of her child is a wanker, Dai-chan."

"Why thank you for your input, Takao, and call me that one more time. I fucking dare you." Aomine barked before turning to Midorima, "Why is he here?"

"F-Y-I you're at my house, drinking my beer." Takao muttered angrily.

"Oi, Midorima! Make him shut up."

"Don't you think I'd do it already if it was possible?" Midorima gave Aomine an exasperated look, before turning back to his phone, "Don't try. No use. How much of possible it is but he only gets louder if try."

Aomine rubbed his forehead, contemplating whether he should just call it a day.

"If it was for me," Kise started, scrunching his nose in distaste, "I wouldn't like to have your child."

"Same for you, Kise! As if anyone would like to share your genetics!" Midorima glanced at the quarrelling duo; he could swear they hadn't passed through the golden age of puberty even if their birth certificates said otherwise. This expression only intensified as Kise turned on his phone, synching with the song he had just turned on, while Aomine tried to shove a large piece of bread into Kise's mouth just to shut him up. The table started shaking and before Midorima knew it fell over trapping him.

A muffled curse followed by a rumble of plastic being pushed aside brought everyone's, except Aomine and Kise's, attention to fuming Midorima. He swatted Takao's helping hand and dragged himself up, eyes looking feral.

"Oi! Knock it off!" Akashi commanded, "Or… or… Just stop it already and act like adults!" He dipped down to tug Kise's arm but few seconds later he was sitting on the ground, clutching his reddening eye.

"Call me loser once again and I'll fucking rip your head off and use it as a basketball." Aomine drawled, his back on the ground, Kise on top of him.

"Try then, you piece of trash!" Kise challenged, his hands clasped over the front of Aomine's shirt, "It's Big Bang and you won't insult—"

"I'll make you into a Big Bang unless you shut up, toll!"

"That's enough!" Midorima hollered; his hair was a mess, glass sitting astride the bridge of his nose. He looked positively furious. "Get your shite together or, I swear to god, I'll do it for you!"

Even if Kise was shoved out of his reverie with Midorima's rant, his mind half set on ending childish fight he was immediately set back on his track. Kise's hesitation was used by Aomine, who buttheaded the blond's face and rolled him over, pinning him down with a knee.

Midorima huffed in annoyance and fixed his hair and glasses. He shot Akashi a blunt look.

"What do you suppose me to do, eh?" Akashi grunted, still on the ground. The spot around his eye started to turn violet. "I'm done with them. If they want to kill each other then so be it…"

"I'm not in the mood for picking up dead bodies. It's my day off. Visiting the morgue is not in my top ten!" Midorima countered, "Tell him, Akashi, or I'll do it!"

"When did I become the resident-chaperone, eh? I'm too old for this shite…" Akashi gave an exasperated sigh but got up, "If this leaves a bruise I'll make you pay, Midorima."

Midorima bit a rude retort that came to him. Oha-Asa warned him it was going to be a bad day, yet everything what'd just happened was beyond Midorima's worst predictions. Hopefully Akashi threatening him about the black-eye, definitely Kise's doing, would be the last display of today's misfortune.

"— now you won't have to pay for a surgeon! I'll rearrange your face for free!"

"I didn't have any plastic surgeries, you ignorant cretin! I was born with that face!"

"Right, whatever… you're gonna need one when I'm done."

Aomine swung his arm aiming for Kise's nose but sudden flush of ice-cold water halted his movements. Aomine glanced at himself. He was dripping wet and had no idea how the hell did that happen.

"You see, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asked politely, an empty bucket hanging leisurely from his hand, "That's what you do when two dogs are fighting."

"Truly remarkable, Kuroko! I'll give it a try then."

Another wave of chill rushed down Aomine's spine as Akashi emptied the content of hi bucket on Aomine, careful not to miss any dry spot on his clothing.

"Now that you two are done," Akashi drawled, "go dry yourself and get back here. We need to talk."

"Was that absolutely necessary, Kurokocchi?" Kise asked an octave higher than usual, his hair clinging to his face covering half of it.

Kuroko threw a towel over Kise's head, kind of pissed his free time was cut short. He had to deal with hormone-driven angsty monsters in and out school. Brilliant. All he wanted to do now was to get back on his hammock and get some well deserved rest.

"No but I had fun doing it so why not?" Kuroko said straight-face, "Too bad you finished so quickly. I was about to get a refill."

The sound of plastic being dropped on a wooden porch resonated in the air as Kuroko dropped it unceremoniously and left to get himself cozy, hopefully this time undisturbed. Kise shot up on his feet, inside-out fuming and marched indoor, Aomine following him in a complete silence.

"Just don't try doing anything stupid. I will know if you do." Akashi called after the duo, before turning to glance at Kuroko who by now had been curled up on the hammock, his back facing the porch.

That was unexpected…, Akashi thought and shook his head as if to clear his mind. For a moment he wondered what made his former teammate change so much. Because whatever it was, it made Kuroko downright spooky.

Akashi shivered and it had nothing to do with chilly wind blowing through the garden, swooshing through tree branches.

* * *

"I wasn't planning to tell you this but apparently… well… because of Midorima, I guess I don't have— "

"Just say it already!"

"Why don't you do it yourself? If you're so hot-headed, eh?"

Aomine was through and done. He was shivering on a porch in a middle of October and the blanket thrown over his shoulder didn't help to block autumn's breeze from chilling even further his damp clothes. The last thing he needed now was a quarrel between Akashi and Midorima. It unnerved Aomine that they were openly fighting over god-knows what, treating him like a damn piece of furniture.

"Can't you just get to the point?" Aomine snapped, his attempts of being polite, failing, "Either of you. Just spit it out."

Akashi shot Midorima a blunt look and sighed. Aomine didn't like that sigh. It was a tired sigh. The sigh that would undoubtedly be followed with 'I'm sorry but your dog died' or something of that sort. Aomine's blood ran cold.

"It's about (Last Name)-san." Akashi started slowly, "We weren't supposed to tell you but… well, I'll just say how it is. She's leaving and she's taking Tama-kun." Akashi gawked Aomine's reaction, expecting him to pick a fight or at least toss a random object at him but Aomine was silent.

"Is… Is that so?"

Akashi's jaw clenched. If that was all reaction he'd get from that godforsaken bastard, when he just told him the mother of his child was running away, again, then Akashi was dead-set on helping the woman with that.

"I have no idea what you told her, Aomine, but from what I heard from Momoi — and it's probably not even a half of the story — I hope you're satisfied. You won't see her ever again. That was your goal, I assume?" Even if playing dirty, he had to make it clear to Aomine what he thought about his actions. But to Akashi's surprise, Aomine didn't get angry. Instead, his shoulders slumped down as he cradled his face in his hands.

"… what have I done…?" Aomine mumbled, "I… I can't… What do I do? What…"

"You kind of deserve it, Aominecchi." Kise informed cheekily and swung his arm over Aomine's shoulder, "Truthfully, I'd do the same thing. But I'd slap you and then I'd be gone."

Kise was still angry at Aomine for his crushed nose and a black eye, and in under different circumstances Aomine would've waved the other man's remark off. Maybe even apologise but this was different. Kise's word stung and the truth behind them made Aomine's chest contract painfully. He wanted this whole thing to turn out to be a nightmare. He wanted to wake up, gasping for air, awfully terrified only to glance at the other side of the bed and see (Name)'s sleeping soundly. This couldn't be true.

"— that even possible? I mean, you could have at least be decent and —"

"Shut up, Kise." Aomine drawled, "I'm serious. Just shut up."

Kise huffed in a mirthless amusement. "Loooooser, lonely you—"

"That's enough, Kise." Midorima barked.

"— selfish wannabe, in the mirror you're— "

Aomine was about to launch at Kise, this time in attempt to turn he's threats into actions but a flying object slammed into Kise's face shutting him up. Aomine looked up wide-eyed to see Kuroko with his arm still raised.

"Thanks Tetsu." Aomine said, feeling nearly touched. Kuroko gave him a thumbs-up before falling back on the hammock.

"Let me ask you one thing, Aomine." Akashi blurted, drawing Aomine's attention back at himself, "Answer honestly. I'll know if you lie."

Aomine nodded solemnly.

"Do you want (Last Name)-san gone?"

"No!"

"Are you willing to do what you're told to achieve that?"

Aomine didn't quite like this but nevertheless he nodded.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright… Where's Murasakibara?" Akashi turned to Midorima.

"He's emptying my fridge." Takao chimed in, rather darkly, "What do you need him for?"

"Just fetch him, would you?"Akashi sighed and as Takao more than willingly went after the racoon that raided his larder, he turned back to Aomine. "I'm not doing this for you. Mind that! I believe a kid needs both of his parents, got it? … Don't make me regret my decision."

* * *

After many 'why-me's and 'don't-want's Murasakibara finally gave in and agreed to call (Last Name). He was very reluctant because frankly speaking he didn't think the confrontation with Aomine was a good idea. Murasakibara also wasn't pleased that it was he who would trick her. He genuinely liked (Name) and didn't want her to shut herself off yet again. But as even Kuroko told him to, quote, "Just make the damn call" Murasakibara agreed and went inside to get his phone.

Everyone's breath was hold as a muffled sound of conversation crept in the garden. It took Murasakibara few good minutes to convince (Name); the woman had been busy with packing (So soon?) and couldn't leave Tama (Why don't you bring him too?) just to get to the party.

"And…?" Akashi asked slowly as Murasakibara emerged from the house, "What did she say? You convinced her, right?"

"Well… yes. (Name)chin said 'yes'." Murasakibara stated after a moment, not feeling good about the scheme. If (Last Name) is going to end up hating him after this, someone's going to pay. "She said she's packing but will come."

"That escalated rather quickly…" Akashi mused; he thought the luck was on them. Any delay and (Name) would disappear without a notice. Akashi turned to Aomine, pointing his finger in the man's face. "Now you! We don't have much time. I'll tell you what you're allowed to say. Don't think, don't talk, and don't do anything on your own will. Do you understand?"

* * *

"Tama-chan!" Takao chirped upon seeing a toddler. The boy eyed him suspiciously, holding onto his mother's sweater. "You've grown so much from the last time I saw you!"

"You saw him a week ago." Midorima pointed out.

"Kids grow so fast. Before you know they end up piercing their tongues and smoke cigarettes behind the trashcans. Unbelievable how time flies!"

"I don't really understand your train of thought…"

Takao extended his arms for (Last Name) to hand him Tama. "Then you've never had a real life, Shin-chan." He informed in an all-knowing tone. Midorima didn't want to elaborate. He was sure he was better off not knowing.

"Thank you for inviting me." (Last Name) smiled, rubbing her forearms. She felt cold without her son's presence. "Honestly I didn't expect… Thank you anyway. It's nice to have a conversation in a language you can understand." She giggled.

"How could we let you go without saying goodbye?" Takao asked, "You can call it a celebration party."

"I wouldn't do that…" (Last Name)'s cheeks reddened. That was actually what she had planned.

"… yes… I know… that…" Takao stammered as he tried to duck mild blows send over his face. When Tama was in his arms he started slapping poor Takao across face, rather entertained.

"Maybe give him to me, Kazu-kun?" (Name) provided, her arms already open but Takao shoved Tama into Midorima's hands, who held the boy stiffly, kind of shocked.

"Shin-chan can take care of him. It's your time to relax."

"It's fine. I don't want you to feel burdened."

"How come?"

"Erm… it's just… your nose is bleeding."

"Is it?" Takao asked confused and pressed his fingers to his face; he felt something warm and sticky, "Don't worry, (Name)-chan. It happens all the time! Boys will be boys and all that… it's okay."

(Name) was still hesitant, especially seeing Midorima's pitiful attempts of keeping wiggling Tama up.

"Just give him to me, Midorima-san." she repeated more firmly and was just about to get her son if not for Takao's interruption. The man jumped between Midorima and she. If the plan was to work out he had to get (Name) in the living room. It would also be the best if she didn't suspect anything.

"Maybe he doesn't look like but Shin-chan is great with kids!" Takao blurted.

"I don't doubt that." the woman glanced over Takao's shoulder at dumbfounded Midorima, "But I think it's better—"

"No! I can't allow that!"

"… why?"

"Erm… so… It's very good question." Takao turned to Midorima, "Why can't I allow that…?!"

Midorima shrugged.

"Okay. What's going on here?" (Name) arched an eyebrow, "You two are acting weirder than usual—"

"We have a usual weird?" Midorima asked a tad offended.

"Indeed you do." The woman propped her hands on her hips in an authoritative manner, "Explain yourself but first give me my son back. Now."

'This is bad!' Takao thought, starting to panic. He had to do something and he had to do it quickly. Before he knew, drawled:

"Run Shin-chan! Run!"

Midorima's eyes went wide. "Who? Me…?!" He had no idea what was going on but when his friend gave him not so gentle push, Midorima cradled Tama and took off. As soon as he started moving, he felt a small fist connecting with his nose, shoving the glasses off of his face. Blind as a bat Midorima ran until he halted on the porch. He knew it would be a bad day. First Aomine, now his brat. Oha-Asa clearly stated: "Prepare for trouble! And make it double!" Too bad Midorima didn't take it literally.

"Care to explain what the bloody hell was that all about?" (Name) exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air, "It better be good. And short. I don't have much patience left."

"Come with me, (Name)-chan. I'll walk you off." Takao ruffled his hair, feeling as if he aged about ten years from the stress. With a prolonged sigh he motioned for her to follow him. And so she did, little voice in the back of her head screaming for her to pivot on her heel and run.

"Just please, (Name)-chan… do it for Tama." Takao mumbled, opening the door for the woman, "Perhaps I don't know how you feel but I'm sure that if you don't talk this through you'll regret it later. Maybe not tomorrow or the next year but someday…"

Panic gripped (Name)'s throat. She looked up at Takao but he didn't seem to be joking. It was a first time she saw him acting so serious. Gently, Takao grasped the woman's elbow, directing her inside a dim lighted room, before closing the doors behind her.

A slam on the door made Aomine jump in his seat. He shot up, noticing a familiar figure, it's back facing him. (Name) inhaled deeply before slowly turning around. She scanned the man up and down, and at this moment Aomine finally realised the true meaning behind the phrase: to feel like a piece of trash. The look of disgust mirrored in (e/c) eyes made him feel as if he was covered in mud. The dirt crawled under his skin, coming deep down from Aomine's bones before emerging on the surface. (Name) thought of him as of a pile of dirt and Aomine had no idea if anything could change that.

"You wanted it, so you got it." (Name) smirked and shook her head, "I am here as you wanted. What now? You want to take Tama?"

Aomine's body tensed. He wanted to say so many things to her, yet he couldn't. As her question went unanswered (Name) continued.

"I can't stop you." She shrugged, "After all, you always get what you want. There's no point in arguing. I am… congratulations on convincing your friends though. You're simply amazing, Aomine. Truly remarkable."

"I'm sorry, (Name)…"

"You're sorry?" (Name) huffed bewildered, her eyebrow arched, "Sorry for what? Care to elaborate?"

"… I'm terribly sorry."

"For what exactly? Threatening to take away my son? Making an idiot out of me? Or maybe for showing up after two fucking years as if nothing happened? For everything?! What the fuck are you sorry for Aomine?!"

As her words flew, (Last Name)'s voice rose to end up in a full blown scream. At first she wanted to be mindful they were in a house filled with people. She was embarrassed to wash the dirt in front of everyone but now her rising anger got the best of her. (Name) was pissed. She was mad she got tricked into coming here. She was mad Tama had been basically abducted right in front of her. She was mad that it was all because of Aomine.

"I'm sorry, (Name). I'm really, really sorry." Aomine drawled. He felt like vomiting, every nerve of his body telling him to run until he got out of this whole mess, yet somehow Aomine's foot were rooted to the ground. Even after large cushion hit him square on the face he hadn't moved an inch.

"Stop saying that, you bastard!" The woman shrieked and threw another random object she blindly grasped from a nearby table. The remote control flew over and crushed into Aomine's shoulder. (Name)'s rage grew as the man kept on standing, motionless as if completely unaffected. He kept mumbling apologies, his quiet words making (Name)'s spin with pure rage. She tried to find anything more she could throw at him but she ran out of options. In wobbly steps she charged at Aomine, shoving her balled fists into his chest. She wanted to pick a fight. She wanted him to scream at her and fight back. It that case she could just threw him out of her mind forever and never look back. Unfortunately, Aomine was on the best way to shatter her plan not even flinching as she kept throwing punch after punch.

"It's all your fault! You hear me?! You ruined everything, you fucking asshole!"

Aomine took a step back, giving in as (Name) threw her whole body at him. The woman stumbled backwards but didn't fall; Aomine grasped her shoulders, steading her. She kept tossing and turning, trying to free herself off his grip but failed miserably. Aomine took every single punch and curse directed to him, with every minute his heart clenching. By the time the woman run out of insults, Aomine was sure there was nothing but a bloody mass left in his chest.

"Stop saying you're sorry!" She exclaimed, her voice raspy from shouting. "If you were that sorry you should have come back! You should have fought… I… I…" (Last Name) paused, her punches losing its vigour, "Why didn't you come sooner…?! I waited. But… but you didn't come… why?!"

A mournful sound, suppressed for years resonated in the room. (Name) went limp, her fingers curled over Aomine's shirt, forehead rested against his chest. She was crying and he couldn't bare the sound, which he was the reason for. Aomine locked his arms around the woman's frame, hugging her tightly. He wanted to tell her she shouldn't cry, that he'd take care of her and Tama. Aomine really wanted to say all of this but he knew (Name) didn't need him. She proved that by raised their child all on her own. (Name) didn't need him, yet Aomine wanted her to. He needed it.

"I did… I was back the next day Satsuki told me…" he said slowly, "But when I got here you were already gone, (Name). I spend a month looking for you… I'm sorry. For everything."

"Why didn't you say it sooner?" (Name) mumbled tearfully, her anger completely gone.

Aomine's chest rumbled with low chuckle. "I wasn't… well… technically I already said too much."

"What do you mean?" She hiccupped, looking up at him. Aomine could swear he had never felt better in his whole life that as he did now, holding his (Name) in his arms.

"Akashi would kill me if he'd find out. He probably knows already." Aomine mused, embarrassed, "The thing is Akashi said they'd help me out if I keep my mouth shut. All I could do is apologize."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard lately."

"But it worked?"

"Yes. Yes it did." She flashed him a brilliant smile, the one he hadn't seen in years. Aomine didn't know he missed her so much. After they parted their ways, the feeling of shock tuned into numbness. At least he thought so. When something is taken away abruptly, as time goes by one learns to live without it, as if it had never existed. Now that his (Name) was back, Aomine realised there was a gaping void in his life that could only be filled with her presence and nothing else. After two long years of longing for her, Aomine was finally home.


End file.
